Combination lock device



April 19, 1955 J. G. JAMIESON ETAL 2,706,393

COMBINATION LOCK DEVICE Filed Oct. 29, 1952 4 Shee ts-Sheet 1 V EN TOR;

JAMES 0. JA GILBERT ADAMEC BY JOIINJI HAY;

ATT NEY April 19, 1955 J. G. JAMIESON ETAL COMBINATION LOCK DEVICE 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001:. 29, 1952 VJNVENTOR;

JAMES 6 JAM/E60 Y wanna B 45 c: HAYS ADM/X ATTORNEY April 19755 J. G.JAMIESON ETAL 2,706,393

CQMBINATION LOCK DEVICE Filed Oct. 29, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORJ#1 2 11 JAMES a. JAMIESQN GILBERT ADAMEC 33 32 I flrTo/wsr April 19,1955 J. a JAMIESON ETAL 2,706,393

COMBINATION LOCK DEVI-CE led Oct. 29, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1! 1.11 ms 1I X'I'A'IIIIIII INVENTORJ 123 JAMES G. Jflgzgg a lg BY V 130 130 f 2 l AUnited States Patent COMBINATION LOCK DEVICE James G. Jamieson,Hicksville, Gilbert Adamec, New York, N. Y., and John J. Hays, deceased,late of Whitestone, N. Y., by Mae C. Hays, administratrix, Whitestone,N. Y.

Application October 29, 1952, Serial No. 317,396 6 Claims. (Cl. 70-315)This invention relates to combination lock devices.

It is an object of the present invention to provide in a combinationlock device adapted to be operated by selected push buttons inaccordance with a pre-arranged set-up of operating elements which can beeasily adjusted upon the retaining shaft, one at a time and withoutlosing control of the others lying upon the shaft.

It is another object of the invention to provide a combination lockdevice of this type having operating elements adapted to be pre-set on ashaft, means for adjusting the block which retains the shaft having theoperating elements so that without altering the elements upon the shaftthe same can be rearranged quickly and easily for a differentcombination and sequence, of operation of the push buttons.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a combination lock deviceof this type having interchangeable elements and adjustable blockmembers retaining the elements which is of simple construction,inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, compact, easyto adjust, will have long life, convenient to use and efficient inoperation.

For other objects for a better understanding of the invention referencemay be had to the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of a chest, employing on its cover thecombination push button lock device of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the cover portionlying above the lock device and looking in plan upon the buttons thereofand with the device being shown with dotted lines thereunder;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary and enlarged edge elevational view of the cover,the latch knob and latch, the push buttons projecting upwardly from thetop of the cover and in dotted line the locking device mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a collective and perspective view of fragments of the coverand lock device separated from one another;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken generally on line7-7 of Fig. 6 with all of the push buttons elevated;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 7 but with the twoouter buttons pressed down to effect a clearing operation on theoperating elements to turn the opener elements to their proper workingpositions;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken generally on line 9-9 ofFig. 6 and showing the positions of the openers and without any of thebuttons being depressed;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 with two of the buttons beingdepressed to effect the actuation of the operating elements and thedepressing of the supporting blocks therefor;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the edge plate and the knob therefor;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the operating element;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the element engaging shaft;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the slidelatch plate having an inclined upper slot so as to be automaticallyadjustable as the blocks containing the operating elements aredepressed;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view of a still furtaken 2,706,393Patented Apr. 19, 1955 ther form of the invention where the blocks areconnected to a shaft on which they may thereby be turned about topresent a new arrangement of operating elements;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary perspective view of the slide plate and of theblock with the operating elements thereon in the process of beingadjusted or turned to a new setting;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view of a still further form of theinvention wherein the block can be pivoted to effect an additionalvariation in the combination;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 18-18 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary perspective view of a still further form of theinvention wherein the blocks containing the operating elements areadjustable by chain means so that different blocks having different setups of the operating elements can be presented to the push buttonarrangement;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally on line 2020 ofFig. 19 and of the connection of a latch projection with one of theshafts of the block;

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of the invention wherethe operating elements and clearing element are supported on a commonplate extending from one side of the device to the other.

Fig. 22 is a perspective view of the supporting plate.

This invention is based upon improvements upon a locking device of thisgeneral nature disclosed in the John J. Hays patent, No. 1,976,724, andrelates to improvements therefor.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 to 13, 25 represents a chest orcontainer in is a slot 26. A cover 27 bearing combination locking device28 is hinged to the chest bottom 29. The locking device has a latchslide 31 adapted to enter the slot 26 and have its hook formation 32seated under one end of the slot 26. The lock has a hand knob 33 bywhich the slide 31 can be adjusted upon the proper selection of buttons34 extending upwardly through the top face of the cover, being depressedin the proper sequence. The press buttons 34 are arranged in four rowsof three buttons each. There are a pair of rows arranged above therespective depressible blocks 35 and 36. On the under side of the coverand forming a part of the locking device is a supporting plate 37 havinga recess 38 in one edge thereof through which the hook formation 32 ofthe slide 31 depends. The supporting plate 37 has an upwardly extendingportion 39 having an elongated slot 40 through which screw shank 41 ofknob 33 passes for threaded engagement with a threaded opening 42 in thelatch slide 31, Fig. 6.

On the supporting plate 37 at each block location is an upstanding studpost 43 on which the block is vertically adjustable. The underside ofthe block has a recess 44 which receives a compression spring 45surrounding the stud post 43 and reacting against the inner side of theplate 37 to lift the block against heads 46 of stop screws 47 lyingwithin recesses 48 of the block.

On the opposite ends of each block are upstanding bearing bracketportions 49 and 50 opposing one another and in which is journalled atits opposite ends thereof square shaft 51. The shaft 51 has a pluralityof squared recesses 52, evenly and longitudinally spaced from the shaftand adapted to receive from any one of four directions about the shaft,operating elements 53 having recesses 54 for receiving the shaft, Fig.12, and offset upstanding projections 55. There are five of theseoperating elements 53 disposed on the shaft and one of them, asindicated at 53', is disposed in reverse manner and angularly displacedat degrees therefrom. The sixth operating element on the shaft 51 asindicated at 56 is of different shape from the operating elements 53 andmay be designated as a clearer, for receiving the first buttons that arepushed to properly angle the shaft for engagement of the proper buttonswith the elements 53' which may be designated as the opener elements.These elements are arranged on the block 36 in a different mannergenerally from the arrangement of the elements on the block 35. It willbe understood that these elements can be rearranged, as desired, inwhich the location of the upper edge of which the clearer elements 56and the opener elements 53' are differently arranged.

Secured to a top plate 57 having holes 58 through which the buttons 34respectively project, is a push button supporting plate 59. Thissupporting plate 5915 made secure with the top plate 57 by screws 60passing through holes 61, only one being shown, and through a spacingcollar 62 for engagement with threaded openings 62 in the top plate 57.

This supporting plate 59 has parallel channelled portions 63 and 64,each of which portion having a plurality of longitudinally spacedtransverse 65, across which extend eccentric arms 66 respectivelyassociated with the push buttons 34. Each push button has dependingprojections 67 surround-ed by a coil spring 68 which extends through aguide hole 69. The spring 68 acts to return the push button to itsraised position. The arms 66 of adjacent or transversely aligned buttonsextend in an opposing manner from different sides of the buttons of thetransversely aligned two buttons. This is to allow the buttons to betransversely aligned with one another and to conserve space. Therespective blocks 35 and 36 lie within the respective inverted channelportions 63 and 64 of the button supporting plate 59 so that theiroperating elements can be engaged by the arms 66. Each arm 66 of thepush button is provided with a notch 66 into which the projections 55 ofthe openers can be accommodated, while the arm 66 works on the openerelement 53 to depress the block. Bv having the projections in thenotches 66, the shaft 51 is prevented from rotating while the arms aredepressed to operate upon the opener elements 53, as shown in Figs. 9and 10.

To operate the blocks, certain of the buttons 34 can be depressed toengage with operating elements 53 through the arms 66 whereby to turnthe shaft so that the operating elements 53 will be extended in themanner as shown in Fig. 4. This result is effected upon depressing anyof the several buttons 34 other than the buttons marked A, B, A or B.The next step is to push buttons A and A so that the shaft 51 will bepositioned in the manner as shown in Fig. 8. The arms 66 of the buttonsA and A will engage the clearing elements 56 to turn them to theposition as shown in Fig. 8 and to thereby align the projections 55 ofthe opener elements 53 with the notch-es 66 so that they will beineffective to rotate the shafts 51 upon the push of the two buttons Band B, but will cause such shafts to be depressed. When the buttons Band B are pushed together, the shaft 51 of each block will be acted uponto depress the blocks 35 and 36 against the action of springs 45. Theprojections 55 of the opener elements 53 which enter the notches 66 willkeep the shafts 51 properly positioned as the buttons B and B aredepressed.

The shafts 51 have long extensions which normally lie in small openings70 and 71 in the latch 31, Figs. 6 and 11. These extensions of the shaft51 are indicated at 51'. These extensions will be out of the notches oropenings 70 and 71 while the fingers are held on the buttons B and B sothat slide 33 can be operated by the thumb or another finger so that thehook formation 32 thereon will disengage from the end of the slotopening 36. The extensions 51 will slide under an edge 72 and an edge 73to allow the slide to move in the direction of the arrow as shown inFig. 11. This time the cover 27 can be elevated from the bottom part 25.When it is desired to again lock the cover to the bottom part 25 of thechest, the knob 33 is grasped and the slide 31 is adjusted to the rightso that the hook portion 32 will enter beneath the end of the slot 26 inthe chest part 25. The blocks 35 and 36 will then be elevated for theactuation of the operating elements and the shaft 51 on the nextoperation of the buttons.

In order to change the combination of the set up as shown, it is onlynecessary to pull the opener element 53 on the shaft 51, and replace itwith a blocking element taken from another location. Thereafter, placingthe opener element 53 in the location of the blocking element which wasremoved. By so changing the operating elements on the one shaft willgive an entirely different combination with respect to the other shaft.Also, the operating elements can be changed on the other shaft to give afurther variation.

The clearing elements 56 can be interchanged with other elements on thesame shaft so as to obtain a still further variation of the sequence ofoperation of the buttons.

In order to avoid the necessity of having to use the knob 33 of theslide 31 in order to effect the movement thereof, there is provided alatch slide 75, Fig. 14, having an inclined small opening 76 into whichthe extension 51 of the shaft 51 extends. As the extension 51' movesdown, it will bear against the under edge of the opening 76 which isinclined to cause the slide plate 75 to move to the dotted line positionindicated at 75'. The extension 51' may be moved downwardly to leave thesmall opening 76 and ride on the under edge 77. The slide plate 75 has adepending hook formation 78 having an inclined edge 79 that ridesdownwardly on inclined edge 80 of the slot opening to causeautomatically the latch slide to move into position to pass through theslot in the bottom part of the chest if the slide happens to have beenin a shifted position and out of alignment with the slot 26.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 15 and 16, there is shown a modifiedform of the invention wherein the blocks supporting the operatingelement can be rotated through 180 degrees so that automatically frominside the cover by a pull of a knob an adjustment can be made of thecombination operating elements. In this form of the invention, 82represents a top plate through which upwardly project push buttons 34that are held by the supporting plate 59. Top plate 82 has a dependingend portion 83 against the inner side of which is placed a slide plate84 which is guided by lug 85 depending from the plate 82 and lug 86extending outwardly from button plate 87.

A block 88 having bearing portions extending upwardly and indicated at89 and 90 to support shaft 91 having a plurality of operating elements92 connected thereto in the same manner as above described andcomprising blocking, clearing and opening elements for effecting therespective operations as above described. This shaft 91 has extensions91' and 91" on the opposite ends thereof, either one of which may engagewith an upwardly extending narrow slot 92 in slide plate 84. In theunderside of the block 88 are detent devices 93 having ball elements 94adapted to enter depressions 95 and 96 in the plate 87 and spaced 180degrees apart about a pivot axis of shaft 97 fixed by a pin 98 to theblock 88 and which extends downwardly through an opening 99 in the plate87 and has a turning knurled knob 100 thereon. Each detent device has aspring 101 which normally urges the upward movement of the block 88 sothat the projection 91 and 91" of the shaft 91 will normally enter thesmall opening 92' of the slide plate 84. With the operating elements 92set up in one arrangement on the shaft 91, a different arrangement ofthe same can be immediately effected by pulling down on the knob 100 andreversing the ends of the shaft 91 and of the block 88 so that insteadof the extension 91 entering the opening 92, the extension 91 will enterthe opening. At the same time this is effected the shaft extension isbrought down below edge 102 of the plate 84. Normally in the sliding ofthe slide plate 84, the block is lowered so that the extensions of theshaft 91 can run along the edge 103 of the plate 84. Plate 84 has theusual hook formation 104. The detent balls 94 can lie in either of thedepressions and thereby hold the bracket 84 against angular displacementuntil the knob 100 is again pulled downwardly.

In Fig. 17 and Fig. 18, there is shown a still further form of theinvention wherein the adjustment or change of the block holding theoperating elements can be effected by a sliding motion. A block 105 isused which is of greater length than the blocks used in the other formsof the invention. This block has upwardly extending bearing projections106 and 107 for supporting extension rods 108 and 109 respectivelyprojecting from a central opening within hollow shaft 110 whichadjustably and replaceably receives operating elements 111 and can bearranged in any manner thereupon. This shaft 110 receives more elementsthan the other supporting shafts which have been used, and there areextra operating elements thereon. A bottom plate 111' has an elongatedslot 112 through which extends a rod 113 depending from the bracket 105and having a knurled knob 114 thereon. Detent devices 115 and 116 areprovided in the bracket 105 and can enter longitudinally spaceddepressions 117 lying at the opposite ends of the slot 112 and in theupper face of the plate 111'. In the hollow shaft 110 is a compressionspring 118 which reacts against the pro ecting shafts 108 and 109 toextend them. The shaft 109 reacts against an abutment 119 and the shaft108 is forced to opening 120 in slide 121 and against depending p ort1on 83 of the plate 82. It will thus be seen that an additional lockcombination of the working elements on the shaft can be had by movingthe block longitudinally and without having to remove the individualworking elements on the shaft.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 19 and 20, there 18 shown a stillfurther form of the invention wherem more than two blocks are used.These blocks are arranged in chain fashion and spaced from one anotherso that as the chain is moved around a given path the blocks W11]. bechanged to meet the operating arms of the push buttons. Blocks 123 arearranged on a chain linkage 124. The chain linkage is operable aboutrotatable support, not shown, and can be adjusted so that the differentblocks 123 can be positioned under the sets of push buttons, and at thesame time the blocks can be adjusted to a position where they can beeasily worked upon to alter the arrangement of working elements 125.Each block has upstanding bearing portions 123 and 123" in which isjournalled shaft 126 having a slotted projection 127. The operatingelements 125 are connected to the shaft 126 in the same manner as abovedescribed in connection with the other forms of the invention and can berearranged lengthwise and angularly on the shaft. Each shaft has aclearing element 128 that can be located on different positions on theshaft and an opening element 125. The blocks 123 have detent devicessuch as shown in Fig. 17 and is operated along a plate. These detentdevices will register when the blocks are properly positioned inrecesses in the plate. Such a detent device is indicated at 129, anddepressions 130 are shown in a plate 131, Fig. 20. The detent devices129 urge the block 123 upwardly. In the base plate 131 is an upwardlyextending sleeve portion 132 in which is located a spring 133 and urgesupwardly the support and 134 that carries a shaft 135 with a projection135' that enters the slotted extension plate 136 is a guide bracket 137into which member 134 extends, whereby the latch member would besteadily supported. The bracket 137 has a notched portion 138 thatreceives the latch member 135 to hold it against angular displacement ina horizontal plane. The blocks 123 will be depressed and operated in thesame manner as above described, and extension 127 of the shaft 126 beinglocked with the projection 135 of the latch member 135, will cause, asthe block 123 is depressed, the latch member 135 to leave vertical slot140 in latch slide plate 141. It will be seen that as the blocks areadjusted by the chain link arrangement 124, the different extensions 127of the shafts 126 will lock with the projection 135 of the latch member135. The arrangement will be different of the operating elements ontheir respective shafts 126 so that automatically a differentcombination set up is elfected as the different locks are put under thedifferent sets of buttons.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 21 and 22, there is shown a modifiedform of support for the operating and clearing elements. This support isa common member 140 which has central holes 141 and 142 through whichscrews 143 extend to fix the common support member 140 to the undersideof plate 59. This common member has turned down portions 144 and 145.Each of these portions has laterally extending and longitudinally spacedbearing bracket formations 146 and 147 on which shaft 51 bears theoperating elements 53 and clearing element 56. The member 140 has smallholes 148 through which the projections 67 of the buttons 34 may slide.As the operating elements are worked by the proper buttons 34 in thesame manner as above described, the member 140 will be flexed so thatthe extensions 51 of the shafts 51 will disengage from the recesses 70and 71 of the plate 31.

It will be seen that with this form of the invention the return springaction for the elements comes from the supporting plate 140 and by thisconstruction the number of parts to obtain the same result has beengreatly reduced. The mounting of shafts 51 and the orientation of theelements thereon can be easily effected by a simple removal of theshafts 51 from the bearing brackets 146 and 147.

127 of the shaft 126. Depending from top It should now be apparent thatthere has been provided a combination lock device operated by sets ofpush buttons wherein the combination can be changed by the replacementor rearrangement of the working elements on the shaft without the shafthaving to be disassembled from the bracket. It will also be seen thatthere has been provided according to the present invention anarrangement for adjusting the blocks that support the operating elementsto different locations in order to alter the combination. This is had inaddition to the rearranging of the operating elements on the shafts.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shallbe understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination lock device comprising a supporting structure, aplurality of push button elements depressibly mounted on the supportingstructure, a block depressibly and adjustably mounted upon thesupporting structure beneath the push button elements, a shaft latchjournalled on said block, operating elements connected in spacedrelationship along said shaft, certain of the elements being angled withrespect to the other elements, said operating elements being replaceablyconnected to said shaft, whereby the elements may be diiferentlyarranged on the shaft with regard to their angular displacement relativeto each other, said push button elements engageable with certain of theoperating elements in sequence to turn the shaft and to depress theblock, a latch slide engageable by said shaft latch and manuallyoperable means connected to the block to adjust the same upon thesupporting structure to present a different arrangement of the workingelements beneath the push button elements.

2. A combination lock device comprising a supporting structure, aplurality of push button elements depressibly mounted on the supportingstructure, a block depressibly and rotatably mounted upon the supportingstructure, a shaft journalled on said block having latch end projectionson the opposite ends of the same, a latch slide adjustably connected tothe supporting structure and adapted to receive the latch endprojections of the shaft to normally hold the latch slide in its latchedposition, a plurality of operating elements replaceably connected tosaid shaft at different angular positions thereon and with respect toeach other, said block upon being rotated one-half turn therebypresenting opposite latch end projections of the shaft and a dilferentarrangement of the operating elements to the push button elementswithout having to readjust the several operating elements upon theshaft.

3. A combination lock device comprising a supporting structure, aplurality of push button elements depressibly mounted on the supportingstructure cover, a block depressibly and rotatably mounted upon thesupporting structure, a shaft journalled on said block having latch endprojections on the opposite ends of the same, a latch slide adjustablyconnected to the supporting structure and adapted to receive the latchend projections of the shaft to normally hold the latch slide in itslatched position, a plurality of operating elements replaceablyconnected to said shaft at different angular positions thereon and withrespect to each other, said block upon being rotated onehalf turnthereby presenting opposite latch ends of the shaft and a differentarrangement of the operating elements to the push button elementswithout having to readjust the several operating elements upon theshaft, and handle projection means connected with the block andextending through the supporting structure to serve as the pivotconnection with the supporting structure, a knob on the outer end of thesaid shaft, said supporting structure having depressions therein, balldetent devices mounted within the block and engageable with thedepressions in the supporting structure to hold the block in itsangularly adjusted position and serving to hold the block elevated fromthe supporting structure and operating elements in their operativepositions beneath the push button elements, said slide latch therebybeing released to permit the turning of the ends of the shaft intooperative engagement therewith.

4. A combination lock device comprising a supporting structure, aplurality of push button elements depressibly connected to thesupporting structure, a block depressibly connected to said supportingstructure and longitudinally adjustable thereover to alter the alignmentof the block with the push button elements, a plurality of operatingelements mounted on the block to be respectively engaged by the pushbutton elements, a latch projection extending outwardly from the block,a latch slide adjustable on the supporting structure and adapted'toreceive the latch projection, means connected to the block and extendingthrough the supporting structure for effecting the longitudinaladjustment thereof, certain of the operating elements being engaged bycertain of the button elements in a predetermined sequence, and shaftmeans carrying said operating elements and rotatable upon the block.

5. A combination lock device comprising a supporting structure, aplurality of block devices disposed in spaced relationship with respectto each other andadjustable over said supporting structure, a shaftjournalled on each of said block devices, operating elements angularlyadjustably connected to said shaft, push button elements carried by thesupporting structure and depressibly in proper sequence to engage theoperating elements to the shaft, detent devices urging each block deviceto an elevated position for engagement by the push button elements,certain 20 of the operating elements on the shaft depending according tothe arrangement of the operating elements thereupon, said detent devicesserving to retain the blocks when in their proper positions againstlateral displacement over the supporting structure, each of said shaftshaving a coupling projection thereon, a latch projection depressiblyconnected to the supporting structure and having a cooperating couplingprojection for engagement with the shaft coupling projection, a latchslide releasably receiving the latch projection, whereby upon pressingpush button elements in predetermined sequence relative to the operatingelements on the shaft, the block is depressed and likewise the latchprojection thereby to release the latch projection fi'rm the latch slideand permit the movement of the latch s1 e.

6. A combination lock device, as defined in claim 5, and continuouschain link means interconnecting the several lock devices wherebydifierent lock devices having difierent arrangement of the operatingelements thereon may be presented to the several push button elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,227,535 Greif May 22, 1917 1,976,724 Hays Oct. 16, 1934 2,529,119Wallach et al. Nov. 7, 1950

